Fruit Attraction is over for another year and, as everyone heads home to rest their tired legs, FreshPlaza has been busy making our photo report of the event as well as a final round of news and views from the exhibitors and visitors.
The last day is traditionally the quietest at the trade show as quality conversations make way for more informal chats, but there were still some people coming along to see what the companies are all about, though many just wanted to see what products they could take home as the fair ends.
"We had some people fighting over leeks last year, but that makes sense if you see the quality of our Flanders leek!", Belgian Luc Vanoirbeek laughed.
All together there were satisfied faces with a nice atmosphere and the introduction of some novelties, like the Thomasso tomato by Tomeco. "A great fair", was the common response in the last day.
Click here to see the photo report
The Italian participation in Fruit Attraction was positive: Madrid has been confirmed as the perfect location. The timing is absolutely right and gives the opportunity to make concrete plans for the autumn campaign. For those working with citrus fruits, it was and still is an unmissable event, close to the start of the season. The same goes for the apple world, which is in the process of planning its campaign.
Italy was the first country after Spain in terms of exhibitor presence: adding the 900 square metres to the ICE Collective stand. Italy was represented by around 60% of companies operating in the fresh produce market, while the remaining 40% were related to the auxiliary industry. This year, Italian companies taking part for the first time occupied 1,400 square metres (out of 4,689).
Click here to see the photo report
The German exhibitors were very satisfied with this year's edition and the visitor numbers. Most of the traders were exhibiting in hall 8, which was very well frequented, especially on the first two days of the exhibition. Those who attend both fairs find that the events complement each other well, as Fruit Logistica takes place in the spring and Fruit Attraction in the fall. In contrast, Madrid is preferred for certain segments, including bananas and overseas fruits but also potatoes, because of the programs that are closed at this time of year.
The German pavilion in Hall 8 was unanimously a great success, according to the companies represented. Some have already pledged to participate again next year, other companies that were only on site as visitors would like to participate next year. For those trading companies that also deal with exports of German and Austrian products, Madrid is now a must, as there are many potential customers from Southern Europe but also other continents here.
